Holder for milk cartons



April 11, 1961 H. E. NOFFSINGER HOLDER FOR MILK CARTONS Filed Sept. 15, 1958 '7 Fig. 4. INVENTOR.

\ 6490010 ffiOFFJl/Yff F ig. 2. Fly 5 ATTORNEY United States Patent 9 HOLDER FOR lVIILK CARTONS Harold E. Noff singer, 875 S. 3rd 13., Salt Lake City, Utah Filed Sept. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 761,057

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-85) It 'is the present practice to dispense milk to the final consumer in rectangular, waxed, cardboard containersor cartons. The tops of the cartons are stapled in such a way that one-half of the top portion can be severed and pulled outwardly to form a pouring spout. These cartons while extremely economical, convenient and sanitary have several objectionable features. For instance, for table use they present a relatively unsightly and certainly nonornamental appearance and they are diflicult to grip in the hand, especially in the larger sizes, for if gripped too heavily, the carton can be collapsed, and if gripped too lightly, the carton will slide from the grasp due to the waxed surfaces thereof. Also, the wax on the exterior of the carton soils the table, the table cloth and the refrigerator shelves, thus, increasing the cleaning labors of the housewife.

The principal object of this invention is to provide in a single device means for overcoming all of the above objections by providing an ornamental milk carton holder which will serve as a convenient handle for lifting and pouring milk from the carton and as a collecting tray which will prevent soilage from wax or from milk dripping from the carton and to so construct the holder that it can be quickly and easily applied to and removed from the carton.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and el'ficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the handle portion of the improved carton holder;

Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view of the tray portion of the improved holder;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation illustrating the improved holder as it would appear in use;

Fig. 4 is a detail section, taken on the line 44, Fig. 2 with the handle portion in place; and

Fig. 5 is a similar detail section looking downwardly on the line 5-5, Fig. 3.

In the drawing a conventional milk carton of the waxed cardboard type is illustrated at 10. Such a carton has the upper extremities of its four sides inclined inwardly to form an inclined top 11, the upper extremities of two opposite sides being folded over the upper extremities of the intervening sides and stapled to form a folded flap 13. For use the folded flap 13 is partially torn away as indicated at 13 and the inwardly folded upper extremity of one side of the carton is pull-ed outwardly to form a pouring spout 14. Such a carton is more fully described in prior Patent No. 2,750,095.

This invention is designed for supporting the carton and for providing a handle to facilitate the lifting of the carton and for pouring the milk from the spout 14. Briefly, the invention consists of a handle portion'as shown in Fig. 2. Both portions are preferably compression molded from phenolic plastic in contrasting colors. I

The handle portion consists of a relatively flat, verti-' cally elongated post strap 16 upon the rear side of which a convenient and ornamental hand grip 17 is molded. The upper extremity of the hand grip coincides with the upper extremity of the post strap 16 and the lower extremity of the hand grip 17 joins the post strap approximately one-third of its length from the lower extremity thereof.

The hand grip preferably is formed with a H cross section as shown in Fig. 5 to provide a lightweight con venient, rigid hand-filling hand grip. A- pointed, V- shaped, carton piercing fang 18- projects forwardly from the upper extremity of the post strap 16, thence downwardly in parallel relation thereto.

The side edges of the fang are beveled, as indicated at 19, to provide a relatively sharp piercing point 20. The post strap 16 is preferably gradually reduced in thickness at its lower extremity to provide a chisel-like lower extremity 21. A transversely and horizontally extending locking notch 22 is indented in the rear face of the post strap adjacent the lower extremity 21.

The tray portion comprises a unitary rectangular tray having a closed bottom 23 which joins two inclined side walls 24, a relatively low front wall 25 and a relatively high rear wall 26. Vertically extending spacing ridges 27 are molded on the inner surfaces of all of the walls adjacent the corners of the tray and a handle receiving boss 28 is molded on the outer surface of the rear wall at the mid-portion of the latter. The boss 28 is provided with a vertical rectangular passage 29 for receiving the lower extremity of the handle post strap 16.

A horizontal locking ridge 30 extends inwardly from the upper edge of the rear wall of the passage 29. The width of the opening of the passage 29 opposite the locking ridge 30 is substantially equal to the thickness of the handle post strap 16 so that the latter can be inserted into the passage 29 and moved rearwardly to cause the ridge 30 to engage in the locking notch 22 to prevent withdrawal of the post strap 16 until it is again forced forwardly to release the locking notch 22 from the ridge 30.

The carton 10 is placed in the tray portion over the low front wall 25 and seated on the bottom 23. The ridges 27 allow for variation in carton sizes. Smaller sized cartons will be spaced from the walls by the ridges 27; larger sized cartons will rest against the walls, the ridges 27 being indented into the exterior surfaces of the carton as it is forced downwardly to a firm seat on the bottom 23.

When the carton is in place, the chisel-shaped extremity 21 on the handle post strap 16 is inserted into the passage 29 of the tray portion. The strap is held against the rear face of the carton 10 and pressed downwardly to cause the fang 18 to pierce the inclined top 11 of the carton and pass downwardly inside of and adjacent the rear wall of the carton. The downward movement of the handle post strap 16 is continued until the locking notch 22 snaps about the locking ridge 30. The hooked fang 18 tends to tilt the upper portion of the post strap 16 forwardly against the rear face of the carton 10 so as to resiliently force the lower portion rearwardly so as to maintain the locking notch 22 in engagement with the locking ridge 30.

The carton can now be conveniently handled as a pouring pitcher and when placed on a table or in the refrigerator, the tray portion will prevent soiling contacts and will also collect wax or milk dripping from the carton. The empty carton can be ouickly and easily 7 removed by simply forcing the bottom of the handle portion forwardly toward the carton so as to release the notch 22 from theridge 30 thence lifting the handle portion to withdraw the fang 18 from the carton.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

A holder for a cardboard milk carton comprising: a tray adapted to receive and enclose the bottom of the carton; an upwardly opening post socket formed on the rear of said tray; 21 vertical handle post receivable in said socket; a pointed, hooked fang formed on and extending downwardly from the upper extremity of said handle post in spaced relation to the forward face of said post so that the point thereof will pierce the top of said carton adjacent the rear wall of the latter when said post is forced downwardly into said socket; a hand grip vformed on the rear face of said handle post; means for rcmovably retaining said handle post in said socket; an internal ridge formed in said socket; a notch formed in said handle post with which said ridge engages when said handle post is inserted in said socket; a chisel-shaped lower extremity on said handle post to facilitate inser- 4 tion thereof into said socket, having a pointed V-shape with relatively sharp edges for easily piercing the top of said carton; four side walls on said tray portion intersecting to form four vertical corners thereon; and inwardlyprojecting vertical ridges on the inner faces of the four side walls of said tray portion to slidably engage said carton.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS humbl 

